languish (verb) 

To languish (LANG-wish) is to grow weak or feeble; to lose or lack vitality. As I used it today: “Cultures that embrace these values grow rich and prosper. Cultures that ignore them languish at the bottom of the economies they inhabit.”

Gaelic vs. Celtic  

Irish. Gaelic. Celtic. What’s the difference?

And do you pronounce Celtic with a hard or soft C?

Celtic refers to the Celtic people, a group of Indo-Europeans that spoke some early version of the Celtic language (proto-Celtic) and shared similar cultural practices. They wandered around Europe for more than 1000 years before settling in what is now Ireland and northern England (Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall), the Isle of Mann, and Brittany at or about 400 AD.

Gaelic refers to the Irish language (spelled “Gaelige” in Irish), which is one of several Celtic languages. People have been speaking Gaelic in and around Ireland for 1500 years, but its use has diminished greatly in the past century. Today, there are about 75,000 Irish people that speak it daily, and another 1.5 million learning it as a second language.

So… Celtic refers to both a language family and an ethnic group. Gaelic is the Irish name for the Celtic language that is spoken (by a few) in Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. And Celtic can be pronounced with a hard or a soft C.

self-effacing (adjective) 

People who are self-effacing (self uh-FAY-sing ) do not like to draw attention to themselves. As I used it today: “In most respects, Bernard is a modest, self-effacing guy. He’s humble. He never boasts. He has a beautiful home that is not ostentatious.”

obsolete (adjective) 

Something that’s obsolete (ahb-suh-LEET) is no longer in general use; discarded or outmoded. As I used it today: “Two or 3 million bus drivers could lose their jobs. And that’s not to mention the millions of UPS, FedEx, and other delivery service workers that will become obsolete when we have driverless vehicles and automated drop-off facilities.”

bedrock (noun) 

Bedrock (BED-rahk) is the solid layer of rock underlying loose rocks and soil. The word is also used to refer to the fundamental principles upon which something is based. As I used it today: “Today, let’s talk about this idea of Western Civilization. The idea that America and Western Europe share a common culture that dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. And that this culture is the bedrock that has supported the accomplishments of the West for the last 2600 years.”

numeracy (noun) 

Numeracy (NOO-mer-uh-see) is the ability to understand and work with numbers. As I used it today: “I’m sure you are 100% agreed that putting my reforms into practice will have an immediate and immensely positive impact on the quality of education in the US. Students will learn better and quicker and in fewer hours. Literacy and numeracy will skyrocket.”

nefarious (adjective) 

Nefarious (nuh-FARE-ee-us) refers to something (typically an action or activity) that is wicked or criminal. As I used it today: “There’s a lot of chatter going on about a nefarious plot by the administration to undermine the upcoming election by crippling the USPS.”

mitigate (verb) 

To mitigate (MIH-duh-gate) is to make less severe, serious, or painful. As I used it today: “[Sweden has] a national 25% sales tax that is built into the price of almost everything. To mitigate the effect on those earning less than 18,000 kroners, there are a few exceptions (e.g., basic foodstuffs) where the sales tax is lower or doesn’t apply.”

exemplum (noun) 

An exemplum (ig-ZEM-plum) is an example, especially one used to illustrate or support a point. As I used it today: “So, what, exactly, is the Nordic Model? And if Sweden is an exemplum of it, how, exactly, does its economy work?”

senescence (noun) 

Senescence (suh-NEH-suhns) is the condition or process of deterioration with age. As I used it today: “In my experience, [businesses are like] organisms that grow in organic ways. In infancy and childhood, growth is fragile and must be both nurtured and protected. In adolescence, growth is rapid and must be guided and sometimes restrained. In maturity, growth slows and must again be stimulated to avoid senescence.”